Short-term outcomes of robotic tumor-specific mesorectal resection of rectal cancer: surgical techniques in mesorectal division using rolling division of the mesorectum.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to report our surgical techniques for robot-assisted laparoscopic anterior resection, specifically focusing on mesorectal division using rolling division of the mesorectum, and to elucidate short-term outcomes at a single institution. Tumor-specific mesorectal excision (TSME) is commonly performed for resection of a tumor located in the upper rectum. However, especially in a narrow pelvis, it is difficult to perform appropriate mesorectal division at an adequate distance from the tumor in robot-assisted laparoscopic anterior resection. METHODS: Retrospective case series of patients with rectal cancer who underwent robot-assisted TSME using rolling division of mesorectum. Patient characteristics, perioperative clinical results, surgical and pathological details were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 198 patients underwent robot-assisted TSME for rectal cancer using rolling division of mesorectum between May 2019 and December 2023.The tumor was located in the upper rectum in 45 patients, middle rectum in 115 patients and lower rectum in 38 patients. The types of resections were 40 high anterior resection and 158 low anterior resections. The median operation time was 175 (range 109-310) min, and median mesorectal division time was 24 (range 15-45) min. Median blood loss was 3 (range 0-20) ml; no patients required blood transfusion. The overall complication rate of Clavien-Dindo classification grades I-IV was 7.1%. Anastomotic leakage was observed in two patients (1.0%) with grade III. There was no surgical mortality in this series. CONCLUSION: This robotic technique for anterior resection is a feasible and reliable procedure for achieving sufficient and safe TSME in this cohort.

Robotic-assisted surgery may be a useful approach to protect urinary function in the modern era of diverse surgical approaches for rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Urinary dysfunction (UD) remains a significant complication of rectal cancer surgery. In modern surgical treatment for rectal cancer, multiple operative approaches are used. Such approaches include open, laparoscopic, and robotic-assisted surgery; and multiple procedures, including anterior, intersphincteric, and abdominoperineal resection. Thus, modern surgical treatments for rectal cancer have diversified. This study aimed to identify risk factors for early UD (EUD) after total mesorectal excision (TME) and to explore the methods for decreasing postoperative EUD in diverse surgical treatments for rectal cancer. METHODS: In our retrospective cohort study, we enrolled patients with lower rectal cancer who underwent TME alone at a single high-volume cancer center between 2010 and 2017. EUD was defined as the presence of ≥ 50 mL residual urine volume. Multivariate analysis was performed to determine clinicopathological factors significantly associated with postoperative EUD. RESULTS: Of a total of 337 eligible patients, 32 patients (10%) had postoperative EUD. Multivariate analysis revealed that only the operative approach (laparoscopic surgery: odds ratio [OR], 8.93; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.94-27.14, open surgery: OR, 11.55; 95% CI 2.10-63.83) was significantly associated with an increase in postoperative EUD. Robotic-assisted surgery was associated with significant reduction in postoperative EUD. CONCLUSION: Only robotic-assisted surgery was inversely correlated with postoperative EUD. Robotic-assisted surgery may be a useful approach to protect urinary function in lower rectal cancer surgery.

Metabolomic profiling of gastric cancer tissues identified potential biomarkers for predicting peritoneal recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Metabolomics is useful for analyzing the nutrients necessary for cancer progression, as the proliferation is regulated by available nutrients. We studied the metabolomic profile of gastric cancer (GC) tissue to elucidate the associations between metabolism and recurrence. METHODS: Cancer and adjacent non-cancerous tissues were obtained in a pair-wise manner from 140 patients with GC who underwent gastrectomy. Frozen tissues were homogenized and analyzed by capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CE-TOFMS). Metabolites were further assessed based on the presence or absence of recurrence. RESULTS: Ninety-three metabolites were quantified. In cancer tissues, the lactate level was significantly higher and the adenylate energy charge was lower than in non-cancerous tissues. The Asp, ß-Ala, GDP, and Gly levels were significantly lower in patients with recurrence than in those without. Based on ROC analyses to determine the cut-off values of the four metabolites, patients were categorized into groups at high risk and low risk of peritoneal recurrence. Logistic regression and Cox proportional hazard analyses identified ß-Ala as an independent predictor of peritoneal recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] 5.21 [95% confidence interval 1.07-35.89], p = 0.029) and an independent prognostic factor for the overall survival (HR 3.44 [95% CI 1.65-7.14], p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The metabolomic profiles of cancer tissues differed from those of non-cancerous tissues. In addition, four metabolites were significantly associated with recurrence in GC. ß-Ala was both a significant predictor of peritoneal recurrence and a prognostic factor.

Endoscopic resection of T1 colorectal cancer prior to surgery does not affect surgical adverse events and recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Although a "no-touch isolation" technique is used in colorectal cancer surgery to reduce the risk of metastatic induction, endoscopic resection (ER) prior to surgery may work against this aim. This study evaluated the effects of initial ER on short- and long-term outcomes in T1 colorectal cancer. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study enrolled patients with pathological T1 colorectal cancer who underwent colorectal surgical resection at a Japanese tertiary cancer center between 2002 and 2012. A total of 548 eligible patients were divided into two groups: patients initially treated using surgical resection with lymph node dissection (LND) (primary group, n = 304) and patients treated using initial ER and additional surgical resection with LND (secondary group, n = 244). The inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method based on propensity score was used to compare postoperative complications and long-term recurrence. RESULTS: The incidence of postoperative complications with Clavien-Dindo classification grade ≥ II was 10.9% and 7.4% in the primary and secondary groups, respectively (p = 0.16). Multivariate analysis with a logistic proportional hazard regression model using IPTW revealed no significant differences in postoperative complications between the two groups (p = 0.79). During a median follow-up after surgery of 61.4 months, recurrence was observed in 3 (1.0%) and 8 (3.3%) patients, respectively (p = 0.06). Multivariate analysis with a Cox proportional hazard regression model using IPTW revealed no significant differences in recurrence between the two groups (p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest no significant adverse effects of initial ER prior to surgery on surgical complications and long-term recurrence in T1 colorectal cancer.

[Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio as a Prognostic Indicator in Patients Treated with Nivolumab for Gastric Cancer].

BACKGROUND: Immune checkpoint inhibitors(nivolumab)have been recommended as third-line chemotherapy for advanced gastric cancer(AGC)according to the Guidelines of Gastric Cancer(5th edition). Therefore, they have been used in daily clinical practice. On the other hand, the neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)has been reported to be associated with the prognosis of cancer patients. METHODS: Twenty patients treated with nivolumab for AGC between January 2018 and November 2019 were retrospectively examined. RESULTS: Median age of the 20 patients(18 males, 2 females)was 70 years(55- 84 years). Nivolumab was administered as second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-line therapy in 1, 11, 7, and 1 case, respectively. The best tumor response evaluation was observed in PR 1, SD 7 and PD 10 cases. Median overall survival(OS)was 10 months, and median progression-free survival(PFS)was 3 months. No serious adverse events occurred. Compared to the NLR>2.0 group, OS significantly prolonged(2.2 months vs 21.9 months)and PFS tended to prolong(1.4 months vs 6.2 months)in the NLR≤2.0 group. CONCLUSION: NLR may be an effective prognostic factor in patients with AGC receiving nivolumab treatment.

Mesorectal fat area as a useful predictor of the difficulty of robotic-assisted laparoscopic total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Various predictors of the difficulty of total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer have been described. Although a bulky mesorectum was considered to pose technical difficulties in total mesorectal excision, no studies have evaluated the influence of mesorectum morphology on the difficulty of total mesorectal excision. Mesorectal fat area at the level of the tip of the ischial spines on magnetic resonance imaging was described as a parameter characterizing mesorectum morphology. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of clinical and anatomical factors, including mesorectal fat area, on the difficulty of total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer. METHODS: This study enrolled 98 patients who underwent robotic-assisted laparoscopic low anterior resection with total mesorectal excision for primary rectal cancer, performed by a single expert surgeon, between 2010 and 2015. Magnetic resonance imaging-based pelvimetry data were collected. Linear regression was performed to determine clinical and anatomical factors significantly associated with operative time of the pelvic phase, which was defined as the time interval from the start of rectal mobilization to the division of the rectum. RESULTS: The median operative time of the pelvic phase was 68 min (range 33-178 min). On univariate analysis, the following variables were significantly associated with longer operative time of the pelvic phase: male sex, larger tumor size, larger visceral fat area, larger mesorectal fat area, shorter pelvic outlet length, longer sacral length, shorter interspinous distance, larger pelvic inlet angle, and smaller angle between the lines connecting the coccyx to S3 and to the inferior middle aspect of the pubic symphysis. On multiple linear regression analysis, only larger mesorectal fat area remained significantly associated with longer operative time of the pelvic phase (p = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: Mesorectal fat area may serve as a useful predictor of the difficulty of total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer.

Short- and long-term outcomes of robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer: results of a single high-volume center in Japan.

PURPOSE: Scientific evidence supporting robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) for rectal cancer remains inconclusive because most previous reports were retrospective case series or case-control studies, with few reports focusing on long-term oncological outcomes with a large volume of patients. The aim of this study was to clarify the short- and long-term outcomes of a large number of consecutive patients with rectal cancer who underwent RALS in a single high-volume center. METHODS: The records of 551 consecutive patients who underwent RALS for rectal adenocarcinoma between December 2011 and March 2017 were examined to reveal the short-term outcomes. The oncological outcomes of the 204 patients who underwent surgery between December 2011 and March 2014 were evaluated. RESULTS: Most patients had tumors located in the lower or mid-rectum (86.0%). Only 7.6% of patients underwent neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Lateral lymph node dissection was performed for 191 patients (34.7%). The median operative time was 257 min, median blood loss was 10 mL, and no transfusions were needed. No conversion to open surgery was necessary. Eighteen patients (3.3%) had Clavien-Dindo grade III postoperative complications. Six patients (1.1%) had positive resection margins. The mean follow-up duration of the 204 patients was 43.6 ± 9.8 (months). The 5-year cancer-specific survival rate for stage I/II/III/IV was 100%/100%/100%/not reached, respectively. The 5-year relapse-free survival rate for stage I/II/III/IV was 93.6%/75.0%/77.6%/ not reached, respectively. The rate of local recurrence was 0.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that RALS is technically feasible for rectal cancer and has good short- and long-term outcomes.

Oncological outcomes of robotic-assisted laparoscopic versus open lateral lymph node dissection for locally advanced low rectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: The long-term outcomes of robotic-assisted laparoscopic lateral lymph node dissection (RALLD) have not been fully investigated. This study aimed to assess the oncological and long-term outcomes of RALLD for rectal cancer through comparison with those of open lateral lymph node dissection (OLLD) in a retrospective study. METHODS: Between September 2002 and October 2014, the medical data of 426 patients who underwent total mesorectal excision with lateral lymph node dissection for primary rectal cancer were collected. Of these, 115 patients were excluded after data collection (stage IV, n = 61; total pelvic exenteration, n = 31; multiple cancer, n = 20; conventional laparoscopic surgery, n = 3). Before matching, 311 patients with clinical stage II/III were analyzed. Using exact matching, patients were stratified into RALLD (n = 78) and OLLD (n = 78) groups. Pathological findings and long-term outcomes were compared between the groups. RESULTS: The pathological stage and number of harvested lymph nodes showed no significant differences between the groups. The rate of positive resection margin in the RALLD group tended to be lower compared with that of the OLLD group (p = 0.059). The median follow-up duration was 54.0 months in 156 patients. The 5-year overall survival rate was 95.4 and 87.8% in the RALLD and OLLD groups, respectively (p = 0.106). The 5-year relapse-free survival rate was 79.1 and 69.9% in the RALLD and OLLD groups, respectively (p = 0.157). The 5-year local relapse-free survival rate was 98.6 and 90.9% in the RALLD and OLLD groups, respectively (p = 0.029). CONCLUSIONS: The short- and long-term outcomes indicated that RALLD may be a useful modality for locally advanced low rectal cancer.

[A Case Report of Robotic Assisted Laparoscopic Low Anterior Resection in a Patient with Rectal Cancer and Polysplenia Syndrome].

Polysplenia syndrome is a rare congenital disease characterized by variable thoracic and abdominal anomalies. A man in his 70s was diagnosed with rectal cancer by close exploration for fecal occult blood. A barium enema revealed a type 1 rectal tumor andwith non-rotation of intestine. CT revealed multiple abnormalities: a polyspleen, preduodenal portal vein, congenital absence of the pancreatic tail, bilateral superior vena cava, andbilateral bilobedlung. Basedon these findings, the patient was diagnosedas having rectal cancer with polysplenia syndrome andtreatedwith robotic assistedlaparoscopic low anterior resection. At operation, the whole colon was located in the left side of the abdominal cavity. The whole colon adhered with each other. The ileocecum adheredto the front of the aorta andthe right iliac artery. In the pelvis, anatomical abnormality was not detectedandrectal mobilization andresection was performedas usual. The patient hadno signs of recurrence of the rectal cancer. This is the first case presentation of laparoscopic low anterior resection in a patient with rectal cancer and polysplenia syndrome.

Long-term outcomes after resection of para-aortic lymph node metastasis from left-sided colon and rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: Para-aortic lymph node (PALN) metastasis from colorectal cancer is rare and often not suitable for surgery. However, in selected patients, radical resection may bring about longer survival. The aim of this study was to evaluate long-term outcomes of resection of left-sided colon or rectal cancer with simultaneous PALN metastasis. METHODS: The study included 2122 patients with left-sided colon or rectal cancer (30 patients with and 2092 patients without PALN metastasis) who underwent resection with curative intent between 2002 and 2013. Clinicopathological characteristics, long-term outcomes of resection, and factors related to poor postoperative survival in patients with PALN metastasis were investigated. RESULTS: Of a total of 2122 total patients, 16 of 50 patients (32.0%) with lymph node metastasis at the root of the inferior mesenteric artery had PALN metastasis. The 5-year overall survival rates for 18 patients who underwent R0 resection and 12 patients who did not were 29.1 and 10.4%, respectively (p = 0.017). Factors associated with poor postoperative survival among patients who underwent R0 resection were presence of conversion therapy, lack of adjuvant chemotherapy, carcinoembryonic antigen >20 ng/mL, and lateral lymph node metastasis in rectal cancer patients. The 5-year recurrence-free survival rate was 14.8%. CONCLUSIONS: Although recurrence was frequent, R0 resection for left-sided colon or rectal cancer with PALN metastasis was associated with longer survival than R1/R2 resection. Furthermore, the 5-year overall survival rate in the R0 group was relatively favorable for stage IV. Therefore, R0 resection may prolong survival compared with chemotherapy alone in selected patients.

Preoperative chemoradiotherapy changes the size criterion for predicting lateral lymph node metastasis in lower rectal cancer.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to identify the size criteria of lateral lymph node metastasis in lower rectal cancer both in patients who underwent preoperative CRT and those who did not. METHODS: This study enrolled 150 patients who underwent resection for primary lower rectal adenocarcinoma with lateral lymph node dissection between 2013 and 2015. Patients were divided into two groups: the CRT group, treated with preoperative chemoradiotherapy before surgery, and the non-CRT group, treated with surgery alone. The short-axis diameter of each dissected lateral lymph node was measured. Receiver-operating characteristic curves were generated to reveal the optimal cutoff values for determining lateral lymph node metastasis in both groups. RESULTS: In the non-CRT group (n = 131), the ROC curve demonstrated that the optimal cutoff value for determining metastasis was 6.0 mm, with a sensitivity of 78.5% and specificity of 82.9%, and the AUC was 0.845. In comparison, in the CRT group (n = 19), the optimal cutoff value was 5.0 mm, with a sensitivity of 71.4% and specificity of 85.3% and an AUC of 0.836. CONCLUSION: The cutoff size for determining lateral lymph node metastasis was smaller in the CRT group than in the non-CRT group.

Relationship between stoma creation route for end colostomy and parastomal hernia development after laparoscopic surgery.

BACKGROUND: The therapeutic benefits of extraperitoneal colostomy with laparoscopic surgery remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the route for stoma creation with laparoscopic surgery and stoma-related complications, especially parastomal hernia (PSH). METHODS: From January 2007 to March 2015, a total of 59 patients who underwent laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection or Hartmann procedure were investigated. Patient demographic and treatment characteristics, including stoma-related complications, were analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Transperitoneal and extraperitoneal colostomy were performed in 29 and 30 patients, respectively. Median follow-up duration was 21 months (range: 2-95). Patient demographic and treatment characteristics were comparable between the transperitoneal group (TPG) and the extraperitoneal group (EPG). PSH developed in 12 (41 %) patients in TPG, and 4 (13 %) patients in EPG (p = 0.020). The incidence of other stoma-related complications and non-stoma-related complications did not differ significantly between TPG and EPG. No patient characteristics except for transperitoneal route for stoma creation were associated with PSH development. CONCLUSIONS: The extraperitoneal route for stoma creation is associated with a significantly lower incidence of PSH development after laparoscopic surgery. Whenever possible, extraperitoneal colostomy should be recommended, even with laparoscopic surgery.

The distribution of lymph node metastases and their size in colon cancer.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to clarify the optimal extent of lymph node dissection for colon cancer by evaluating the distributions of lymph node metastases and lymph node size according to tumor location and T stage. METHODS: This study enrolled 662 patients who underwent curative resection for primary colon cancer between 2013 and 2015. Lymph node regions were classified into pericolic, intermediate, and main nodes. The short-axis diameter of each dissected lymph node was measured. The distributions of lymph node metastases and lymph node size were evaluated according to tumor location and T stage. RESULTS: In the overall cohort, the incidence of metastases in pericolic nodes located more than 5 cm but no more than 10 cm from tumor and in pericolic nodes located more than 10 cm from tumor was 3.6 and 0.2%, respectively. More than 2% of patients with ≥ T2 tumor had metastases in main lymph nodes, and no patients with T1 tumor had metastases in main lymph nodes. Only 0.7% of patients with T1 tumor had lymph node metastases in pericolic nodes located more than 5 cm from the tumor. Both metastatic and non-metastatic lymph node sizes were significantly larger in right-sided colon cancer than in left-sided colon cancer, and both metastatic and non-metastatic lymph node sizes were significantly larger in ≥ T2 tumor than in T1 tumor. CONCLUSION: It is necessary to resect 10 cm of normal bowel both proximal and distal to the tumor and to perform D3 lymph node dissection for ≥ T2 colon cancer.

Robot-assisted versus laparoscopic surgery for lower rectal cancer: the impact of visceral obesity on surgical outcomes.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the advantages of robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) for lower rectal cancer and for visceral obesity cases, which have been regarded as challenging situations in rectal cancer surgery, comparing their surgical outcomes with those of conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS). METHODS: Patients who underwent robotic or laparoscopic total mesorectal excision for rectal cancer were included in this retrospective study. Surgical outcomes including perioperative, postoperative, and pathological data were compared between the RALS and CLS groups. Patients were stratified into obese and non-obese groups according to visceral fat area (VFA). Obesity was defined by VFA ≥130 cm(2). RESULTS: Two hundred thirty-six patients were enrolled, including 127 cases in the RALS group and 109 cases in the CLA group. A total of 82 (34.7 %) cases were categorized as VFA obese, including 52 cases in the RALS and 30 cases in the CLS groups. RALS for lower rectal cancer was associated with less blood loss (p = 0.007), a lower overall complication rate (9.4 % in RALS vs 23.9 % in CLS, p = 0.003), and shorter postoperative stay (p < 0.01) than CLS, with similar operative time and pathological results. The overall complication rate was significantly lower in the RALS group with VFA obesity; blood loss was significantly less and the postoperative stay was shorter in the RALS group with visceral obesity. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that RALS has some advantages in terms of surgical outcomes over CLS in challenging situations of rectal cancer surgery, such as lower rectal cancer cases and visceral obesity cases.

Robotic-assisted vs. conventional laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer: short-term outcomes at a single center.

PURPOSES: Several retrospective studies have demonstrated the safety and technical feasibility of robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS). The aim of the present study was to clarify the advantages of RALS for rectal cancer by comparing its short-term outcomes with those of conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS). METHODS: Between April, 2010 and April, 2015, a total of 974 patients underwent proctectomy for rectal cancer. After the exclusion of those who underwent open surgery, high anterior resection, lateral lymph node dissection, or multiple resection, 442 patients were enrolled in this study, including 203 who underwent RALS and 239 who underwent CLS. We compared the short-term outcomes of these two groups. RESULTS: There was no case of conversion to open surgery in the RALS group, but 8 (3.3 %) cases in the CLS group (p = 0.009). Operative time was not significantly different, but blood loss was significantly less in the RALS group than in the CLS group (p < 0.001). The postoperative hospital stay was shorter in the RALS group than in the CLS group (p < 0.001). The rate of urinary retention was significantly lower in the RALS group than in the CLS group (p = 0.018). CONCLUSION: The short-term outcomes in this series provide further evidence that RALS may be superior to CLS for rectal cancer.

A novel splice variant of XIAP-associated factor 1 (XAF1) is expressed in peripheral blood containing gastric cancer-derived circulating tumor cells.

BACKGROUND: XIAP-associated factor 1 (XAF1) is ubiquitously expressed in normal tissues, but its suppression in cancer cells is strongly associated with tumor progression. Although downregulation of XAF1 is observed in tumors, its expression profile in the peripheral blood of cancer patients has not yet been investigated. Here, we identified a novel XAF1 splice variant in cancer cells and then investigated the expression level of this variant in peripheral blood containing gastric cancer-derived circulating tumor cells (CTCs). METHODS: To identify splice variants, RT-PCR and DNA sequencing were performed in mRNAs extracted from many cancer cells. We then carried out quantitative RT-PCR to investigate expression in peripheral blood from all 96 gastric cancer patients and 22 healthy volunteers. RESULTS: The XAF1 variant harbored a premature termination codon (PTC) and was differentially expressed in highly metastatic cancer cells versus the parental cells, and that nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) was suppressed in the variant-expressing cells. Furthermore, splice variants of XAF1 were upregulated in peripheral blood containing CTCs. In XAF1 variant-expressing patients, the expression levels of other NMD-targeted genes also increased, suggesting that the NMD pathway was suppressed in CTCs. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified a novel splice variant of XAF1 in cancer cells. This variant was regulated through the NMD pathway and accumulated in NMD-suppressed metastatic cancer cells and peripheral blood containing CTCs. The presence of XAF1 transcripts harboring the PTC in the peripheral blood may be useful as an indicator of NMD inhibition in CTCs.

Brain metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma: The impact of radiotherapy on control of intracranial hemorrhage.

AIM: Brain metastasis from hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rare and causes devastating outcomes with intracranial hemorrhage. We retrospectively analyzed the impact of radiotherapy in preventing hemorrhagic events among patients with brain metastasis from HCC. METHODS: Patients who underwent treatment for brain metastasis from HCC at our cancer center between January 2003 and December 2012 were identified from a prospectively compiled hospital database. Clinical characteristics were analyzed in patients with and without radiotherapy. RESULTS: Fifteen HCC patients with brain metastasis from HCC were classified into two groups: 11 patients underwent radiotherapy (group R) and four patients received best supportive care without radiotherapy (group N). Six patients (54.5%) in group R and four patients (100%) in group N showed intracranial hemorrhage at presentation of brain metastasis. No patients in group R experienced intracranial hemorrhage during follow up, although two patients in group N did. Median overall survival was 22.4 weeks (range, 5.42-69.1) in group R and 2.24 weeks (range, 1.0-15.4) in group N. CONCLUSION: For patients with brain metastasis from HCC, radiotherapy appears useful for controlling brain lesions, preventing intracranial hemorrhage and improving survival. Radiotherapy may contribute to control of intracranial tumor and prevention of intracranial hemorrhage for selected patients with brain metastasis from HCC.

Robotic-assisted lateral lymph node dissection for lower rectal cancer: short-term outcomes in 50 consecutive patients.

BACKGROUND: The goal of this study was to evaluate the short-term outcomes of robotic-assisted lateral lymph node dissection for patients with advanced lower rectal cancer. METHODS: Between 2012 and 2013, 50 consecutive patients underwent robotic-assisted lateral lymph node dissection for rectal cancer in Shizuoka Cancer Center Hospital. Perioperative outcomes including operative time, operative blood loss, length of stay, postoperative complications, and histopathological data were collected prospectively. RESULTS: Median patient age was 62 years (range 36-74 years). Operative procedures included low anterior resections (n = 27), intersphincteric resections (n = 16), and abdominoperineal resections (n = 7). Bilateral lymph node dissection was performed in 44 patients. The median operative time was 476 min (range 320-683 min), and the median time required for lateral lymph node dissection was 165 min (range 85-257 min). The median blood loss was 27 mL (range 5-690 mL). There were no cases of open surgery or laparoscopic conversion. The median duration of postoperative hospital stay was 8 days (range 6-13 days). Clavien-Dindo classification Grade III-IV complications occurred in only one patient (2.0 %). There were no cases of anastomotic leak. There was no perioperative mortality. The median number of harvested lateral lymph nodes was 19 (range 5-47). CONCLUSIONS: Robotic-assisted lateral lymph node dissection is a safe, feasible, and useful approach for patients with advanced lower rectal cancer.

Learning curve for robotic-assisted surgery for rectal cancer: use of the cumulative sum method.

BACKGROUND: Few data are available to assess the learning curve for robotic-assisted surgery for rectal cancer. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the learning curve for robotic-assisted surgery for rectal cancer by a surgeon at a single institute. METHODS: From December 2011 to August 2013, a total of 80 consecutive patients who underwent robotic-assisted surgery for rectal cancer performed by the same surgeon were included in this study. The learning curve was analyzed using the cumulative sum method. This method was used for all 80 cases, taking into account operative time. RESULTS: Operative procedures included anterior resections in 6 patients, low anterior resections in 46 patients, intersphincteric resections in 22 patients, and abdominoperineal resections in 6 patients. Lateral lymph node dissection was performed in 28 patients. Median operative time was 280 min (range 135-683 min), and median blood loss was 17 mL (range 0-690 mL). No postoperative complications of Clavien-Dindo classification Grade III or IV were encountered. We arranged operative times and calculated cumulative sum values, allowing differentiation of three phases: phase I, Cases 1-25; phase II, Cases 26-50; and phase III, Cases 51-80. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggested three phases of the learning curve in robotic-assisted surgery for rectal cancer. The first 25 cases formed the learning phase.

[Colorectal cancer].

Since the da Vinci®surgical system was adopted, the use of robotic surgery has become widespread. The safety and feasibility of colorectal cancer surgery have been described, comparing laparoscopic surgery with robotic surgery. For rectal cancer surgery, it is important to achieve a good balance between radical cure of the rectal cancer and functional preservation, based on progression of the rectal cancer. Advantages of robotic surgery include 1) stable control of the camera and surgical field by the surgeon; 2) flexibility within the narrow cavity of the pelvis, facilitated by complicated manipulation of forceps; and 3) rendering of poorly operative and technical difficult surgeries in the deep cavity of the pelvis easy through intuitive operation.Because of these advantages, robotic surgery is expected to provide both curability of rectal cancer and preservation of urogenital function via nerve sparing. There is also less blood loss compared to laparotomy and laparoscopic surgery.In order to provide more patients with robotic surgery under health insurance coverage, further evidence on safety and efficacy needs to be established.